Wrench for attaching bolt-clamped lugs to trim strips



H. F. LINDSEY Nov. 9, 1954 WRENCH FOR ATTACHING BOLT-CLAMPED LUGS TO TRIM STRIPS Filed March 25, 1954 HOMER F. LINDSEY INVENTOR.

United States Pateflt 'fi WRENCH FOR ATTACHING'IBOLT-CLAMPED" LUGswTo'TmMfsTRIPs- Homer F. Lindsey; Seattle, Wash;

Application March 25,1954; Serial No. 418,614

4 Claims. (Cl; .81125) This invention relates toa wrench for attaching b'oltclamped lugs to trim strips and, more particularly"to a lavatory fixtures in cabinets or counters so that the rim of the fixture 'is flush with-thesurfa'ceof 'the cab net top or-counter. It isdesirable to trimand seal the line of joinder between the-fixturerim and the periphery iof the opening in which the-fixture is disposed by a trimming ring. Normally such rings comprise a T-shaped member having the depending leg passing downward between the fixture periphery and wall of the opening and this serves for attaching and clamping purposes. The depending leg element of the trim rim is engaged by a lug device including a screw element which applies a levering action upon the trim rim to pull it tightly down against the counter and the fixture surface. This invention is primarily concerned with the application of these lugs. An accompanying circumstance quite often encountered in making such an installation is that the workman must place and secure his lugs in the very cramped quarters generally found under the sink rim and which do not permit the ready use of simple tools and of the hands. To put it another way, the workman must attach the lugs often at a position quite remote from any that he can easily reach by hand and do so with speed and facility.

It is, therefore, among the more important objects of this invention to provide: a wrench which is operable in extremely cramped quarters at some distance from a position that can be reached by hand; a wrench which will facilitate and expedite the placing and securing of boltattached sink lugs to trimming rims and the like; and a tool of the nature described which will allow the tilting or tipping of the axis of a bolt in a bolt-attached sink lug for engagement of the lug in its proper mechanical relationship to the trimming rim but which can be altered to a vertical position for the tightening of the attaching bolt.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent during the course of the following description in which is set forth a preferred form of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and alterations may be made in the structure disclosed and all such, that are fairly within the function and scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims, it is my every intention to cover herein.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved wrench;

Figure 2 is a view in reduced proportion disclosing a step in the attachment and positioning of a sink lug through the use of my tool;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but on an enlarged scale, showing the sink lug in position to be tightened and secured; and

Figure 4 is a side view of the tool shown in Figure 3.

Referring specifically to Figure 1, my wrench includes an elongated handle shank having a handle grip 12 on one end and a flattened or tapered portion 14 on the opposite end. A socket shank 16 is pivotally mounted on the extremity of shank 10 by means of pivot pin 18 which passes through the bifurcated portion 20 of the socket shank 16.

It will be understood that the bifurcated socket shank 16 is pivotally mounted on the flat sides of the shank end 14 to rock from axial alignment with the shank 10,

2,693,729 P aftented Nov. 9, .1954

as show'ri in Figure 1,-:to the obliquely"angalar position shown in Figure 2; A -pair of resilient ears 22 stand outward to on'e; side of the'ax'is 'of shank 10 and of shank 16.; As shown' in Figure 4,' these 'ears form friction jaws which-'- maintain shank 16 in an 'adjustedi angular disposition relative shank 10'." Bending or-rocking is limited by stop tab's'23." Integrallyassociated on the otherer'1d of shanl 16- is the socket member 24 which has sideopenin'g 32 to receive a multi-sided bolthead-28 a showr'i in F-i'g'ures 2and 3. The bolt shank 30 extends [1n"axial alignment with-"theaxis of shaft 16" through a U-s'haped slot34 in the collar 360m the outer end of socket 24i Theoverhan'ging portion of' colla'r 36 engages' the underside-of bolt-heacl 30, that is on that side '01? "the bolt' head 28 'from-"which '-pro-' trudes the shank 30,- and' thusthe head' of the boltis'" retalned agamst longitudinal displacement-from socket- 24.

It 'isintended that the bolt-' head may pass outward only through the slot or-opening' 32i I By'means of a collar 40 a relatively broadflat oifs'et extension arm'42 is 'revolvablyicairied by" shank '16. At its outerend' the extension 42-'is provided'with a pair of-- sprlng-pressed open-mouth jaws 44 that-engage 'the shank 30 of the boltjata position' remote from socket- 24 mbstantially as shown in Figures' 2 and A 'sin'k lug with which thisinvention is particularly useful can be seen in Figures 2 and 3 to comprise an inverted T-shaped element, including arms 50, 51, and leg 52 having hook end 53 on its extremity. Bolt shank 30 is threadedly engaged in the arm 50. When such a sink lug is properly positioned with respect to the wrench the1 grrangement is as has been set forth in Figures 2 an A typical use of the tool is to be seen in the schematic view of Figure 2 wherein a cabinet wall 60 supports a counter or cabinet top 62 the latter having an opening 64 in which the sink 66 is located. The flange edge 68 of the sink is normally positioned flush with the upper face of the counter 62 and in slight spaced apart relationship to the walls of the opening 64.

A typical trimming element, forming no part of this invention, comprises a T-shaped band or ring having a cross head 70 and depending flange 72, formed with hook edge 74 on the extremity of flange 72.

One of the problems solved with particular facility by my tool is disclosed herein. The problem lies in how, in cramped quarters shown in Figure 2, it is possible to engage hook 53 over the hook edge 74 on flange 72. To do so, the bolt head 28 is placed in the socket 24 and the gripping jaws 44 are placed around the outer end of bolt shank 30. The relatively broad flat extension arm 42, carried by the socket shank, lies closely juxtaposed to the free end of lug arm 50. Because it is possible to revolve socket 24 relative collar 40, the operator next backs off the bolt shank 30 until the gripping jaws 44 contact the upper face of the sink lug 52. The operator then breaks the joint between the handle shank 10 and the socket shank 16 as shown in Figure 2 which results in tilting the sink lug 52. This makes it easy for him, even from a quite remote position, to engage the hook 53 over the hooking lip 74 on the trim rim 70. He then pulls straight down on the tool causing the socket shank 16 to align with the axis of handle shank 10, this condition being illustrated in Figure 3. While maintaining hooks 53 and 74 engaged, he proceeds to tighten the bolt by rotary motion of the tool until it bears on the under surface of the fixture flange 68 and imparts a downward pull on the trimming ring. By this operation the lug arm 52 is pressed against the under side of the counter member 62 in a levering action.

The tool is separated from the bolt head 28 and shank 30, when the latter is tightly secured in place, merely by disengaging the socket 24 from bolt head 28 and freeing the gripping jaws 44 from shank 30. This is accomplished by rocking the tool relative the axis of bolt shank 30 which causes the jaws 44 to release their grip on the shank whereupon the socket 24 may be moved sideways and out of engagement with bolt head 28. More specifically, to remove the tool after the bolt is tightened, the tool should be rotated degrees from the position shown in Figure 3 at which position the straight side 21 of socket shank 16 abuts handle shank 10. Counterclockwise tilting movement of handle 10 around bolt head 28, as a pivot point, causes jaws 44 to be snapped from bolt shank 30 in such movement.

The relatively close positioning of the shank 42 with the edge or end of one of the arms of the sink lug prevents the gripping jaws from revolving during tightening of the bolt and it also serves to maintain the bolt and the associated sink lug in a relatively rigid relation to the tool handle to prevent wobbling and rocking around as well as accidental dislocation of thebolt from the socket. In its preferred form the shank 42 has split 45 between jaws 44 which extends from the jaw crotch to a position downward of arm 42 a sufficient distance to provide a desired springiness.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A wrench for positioning and securing bolt-attached sink lugs in cramped quarters as beneath a sink rim, comprising: an elongated handle shank; a socket shank pivotally mounted on an extremity of said handle shank to rock from axial alignment therewith to an obtusely angular position relative thereto; a socket member, on the outer end of said socket shank, open on one side to receive a multi-sided bolt head and having means to engage the under side of such a bolt head to prevent axial displacement of a bolt head from said socket; and revoluble grip means carried by said socket shank to engage a bolt shank outward of said socket member.

2. The structure according to claim 1 in which the grip means comprises a pair of spring pressed jaws to be a 4 snapped on and off a bolt shank outward of said socket member.

3. The structure according to claim 1 in which the grip means comprises a collar revolubly carried by the socket shank and has a relatively broad flat extension to lie closely alongside of the axis of the bolt shank and which is provided with a pair of spring pressed, openmouth jaws at the outer end to engage a bolt shank outward of said socket member.

4. A wrench for positioning and securing bolt-attached sink lugs in cramped quarters as beneath a sink rim, comprising: an elongatedrhandle shank and a socket shank mounted on an extremity of said handle shank; a socket member on the outer end of socket shank, open on one side to receive a multi-sided bolt head and having means to engage the under side of such a bolt head to prevent axial displacement of a bolt head from said socket; and revoluble grip means carried by said socket shank to engage abolt shank outward of said socket member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 25 Number Name Date 1,021,424 Oatman Mar. 26, 1912 1,426,682 Snell Aug. 22, 1922 1,477,355 Jacobs Dec. 11, 1923 7 2,090,134 Lawson Aug. 17, 1937 

